The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-05
The Shakespeare Plays.

The New York World few days ago con-
tanned the previously announced article by
Prof. Thomas Freeman on Ignatius Don
nelly's alleged discoveries as to the real au-
thorship of the plays eascribed to William
Shakespeare, written after a visit to Mr..
Donnelly and an examination of the manu-
script of his forthcoming book He was not
taken entirely into the authors confidence,
however, as the famous key, which is to
settle this momentous question, was only
partially explained" 1t is possible Mr..
Donnelly told all he knew
Mr.. Freeman's article is taken up mostly
by a summary of the arguments used by
Mr. Donnelly, to prove that the plays could
not have been written by Shakespeare, and
must have been written by Bacon-reasons
in many cases plausible, but by no means
conclusive. AS far as his book goes, he
the case made by former writer's. The au-
thor endeavors to show that Shakespeare
was almost, if not entirely illiterate, while
the author of the plays was deeply learned ;
that no record shows that Shakespeare ever
possessed book, while the plays draw
upon the literature of all ma
tions; that Shakespeare was a man
stepped in almost every kind
of vice, an oppressor of the poor, a drunk
ard, systematic liar-in short, of such a
character that it is impossible to conceive
of his having written these plays, distilled
from the wisdom and learning of the world u
Mr.. Donnelly next attempts to prove that
the real author was Bacon by showing that
in the plays are twenty three references to
his home, st. Adams, and none to Shakes
peare's; that the religion and politics of the
plays are the same as were Bacon's; that
what Bacon declared his ife-purpose is ex-
emplifed in the plays, and finally many
parallel passages, covering as many as
seventy pages, taken from Bacon's pub
lished works and the plays, are given.
As has already been stated, these argu-
ments are not new, having been advanced
by different authors with more or less full
ness for the last thirty years, and having
very little effect on the public mind. Proof
to overthrow belief in the greatness of the
"Sweet bard of Avon" must be Of the most
absolute and conclusive kind 1t must
overthrow not only an ascription not sue
cessfully disputed for $50 years, but pride
and affection that during that time have
steadily grown among those who admire all
that is beautiful and sublime in poetic
literature. Shakespeare is identified with
the work with which his name has been
associated so thoroughly that no slight
wrench will separate them, and Mr.. Donnel-
ly's book will hardly prove a great one
The point upon which he claimed to have
made an advance upon the Investigations of
other men who used the same theory-that
he had discovered secret cipher running
through the works which made plain the
secret Of their authorship-was that in
which general interest was felt, and this he
failed to make plain to the man, who, pre-
sumably at his invitation, travelled half
across the continent to examine his work.
The frequent and generally humorous
references to Mr.. Donnelly's theories in the
press for several years past have very thor
oughly advertised man who may be an
honest though mistaken enthusiast, or it
may be he is taking advantage of noto-
riety thus thrust upon him to line his purse
before the public discovers the shallowness
of his pretensions. If the latter supposition
| should prove to be true, as is most likely, it
is not probable that his victims will Judge
him harshly-they will be relieved to find
him, rather than Shakespeare, fraud.